Everything you need to know about the Azzurri lock.

Having made almost 90 appearances for the Italian national team, it would be fair to describe Marco Bortolami as a seasoned international for the Azzuri. Since making his debut, he has gone on to achieve huge success with the Italians and is viewed as something of a legend in his home country.

Bortolami’s first game for the full national squad came when he was just 20-years-old. The then-Padua player was selected to play against Namibia and since then, he has not looked back. In fact, he was named as the youngest ever captain when at the age of just 22, he was handed the skipper’s armband. Having held that status for a number of years, many believe he was unlucky to lose it after Sergio Parisse took over in 2008. While Bortolami had struggled with various injury problems, many people point to the superior win ratio that Bortolami possesses when he has captained the side. While he has been named as skipper on a handful of occasions over the past couple of years, it’s understood that there are no plans to strip Parisse of his armband in the near future.

With the Italians being renowned as one of the less talented rugby nations, Bortolami has not been part of many international successes. However, he has still taken part in all of the major tournaments, having played in the World Cup and various Six Nations competitions during his time with the Azzurri. Fans from other countries also view Bortolami as one of the most threatening players for Italy.